Finger stop for stringed instruments



Dec. 18, 1951 Q RADER 2,578,984

FINGER STOP FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Filed March 5, 1949 INVENTOR.

BY Claude Rade Y Patented Dec. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FINGER STOP FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a finger position stop designed for adjustable clamping relation only with that part of the fingerboard which overlies the body of a stringed instrument, such as, violins, cellos, Violas and bass viols, the device being formed with oppositely facing channeled clamping feet engaging the opposite edges of the fingerboard and overlapping on the top and bottom faces thereof to better insure that the device holds its position against the vibration to which it is subjected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which, in the preferred form, is so designed that when it is positioned for indicating the first fingering position of the strings, it simultaneously indicates the position of the open tone harmonic or one octave higher on each string.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this kind which may be adjustably positioned by the teacher at any point from the first through the tenth position on a violin or other instrument, and greatly aids a pupil in learning to tune the instrument and makes it possible to position the fingers to divide each string into perfect fifths.

With the general objects named in view and others as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and organization of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a violin with the device of the invention positioned in full lines at the fifth fingering position on the fingerboard, the first and tenth positions being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in Figure 1 detached from the violin.

Figure 3 is a fragmental perspective view of a modified form of the device.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the general nature of Figures 1 and 2, but is provided with resilient rather than manual clamping means.

In the said drawing, where like reference characters identi y corresponding parts in all of the figures, l is the body of a violin and 2 the neck thereof. The neck is equipped with the usual tuning pins 3 at its upper end. Secured to the neck and extending beyond the same into overlying spaced relation to the body I, is the fingerboard 4.

The fingering position stop of the invention is adapted for cooperative engagement with that part of the fingerboard overlying the body of the instrument, and, in its preferred form, is so designed that when in the first position it concurrently provides a stop for locating the little finger and at the same time provides a second stop which locates a point on each string one octave higher than the normal tone of the string. In this preferred form, a U-shaped wire frame 5 spans the fingerboard above the strings providing a stop for the fourth or little finger, the opposite ends of the frame being carried by a pair of oppositely facing channeled clamping feet 5 for engaging the opposite edges of the fingerboard, the channels overlapping on the upper and lower faces of said board as shown to more firmly position the device. To clamp the stop in position and at the same time to form a finger stop for one octave higher, a rod 1 is pivoted at one end to one side of the frame, the other end of the rod being threaded and receiving a thumb clamp nut 3 which is adjusted to clamp a slotted plate 9 against the other side of the wire frame to cause the clamping feet to tightly grip the side edges of the fingerboard.

In Figure 3 a modified construction is shown in which one of the channeled clamp feet carries both the finger guide element H and a threaded cross rod [2, the latter underlying the fingerboard and spanning the same. The end of the rod i2 is threaded and carries a clamping nut i3 which, by engagement with a companion clamp foot M, holds the device in adjusted position on the fingerboard.

In Figure 4 a still further modification is shown in which each clamping foot l5 and I6, is formed integrally with oppositely extending overlapping bars I? and I8 telescoping through a guide loop H). The finger guide frame 2! is carried by the channels 15 and I6 and possesses sufficient resiliency to yield so that a retractile spring 20 can cause the feet to grip the edges of the fingerboard.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a device possessing all the features of advantage set forth as desirable, and while I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to all changes within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination in a musical instrument having a body portion, a neck extending therefrom, a fingerboard carried by the neck and extending beyond the same in overlying spaced re lation to the body, a finger stop having oppositely facing channeled clamping feet embracing the side edges and overlapping the upper and lower faces of the fingerboard, a threaded rod transversely spanning the fingerboard, and a clamp nut on said rod for causing the clamping feet to gripthe edges of the board to retain the stop in adjusted position.

2. A finger guide for stringed instruments comprising a pair of oppositely facing channeled clamping feet for embracing the side edges and upper and lower faces of a fingerboard, a clamping rod pivoted at one end to one of the clamping feet and having its other end threaded with a clamping nut to draw said feet together.

3. A finger guide for stringed instruments'comprising a wire frame for spanning a fingerboard, a pair of channeled clamping feet carried by the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 971,438 Gillitt Sept. 27, 1910 1,351,570 Hewitt Aug. 31, 1920 1,775,472 Ostrovsky Sept. 9, 1930 

